Feeler and counter mechanism for envelope-making machines



Aug. 7, 1923.

A, E. AUGUSTINE FEEIJER AND COUNTER MECHANISM FOR ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 18, 1919 m ma A Ag El Elvwentoz @044; c? a artc meq Aug. 7, 1923.

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A, E. AUGUSTINE FEELER AND COUNTER MECHANISM FOR ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINES Filed Nov. 18 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 E? 96/ as sznllllll 3 vwamtoz A. E. AUGUSTINE I FEELER AND COUNTER MECHANISM FOR ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINES Filed Nov. 18 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 VIII/III!YIIIII/I/IIYIIIIIIII/IflUIIIIII/III/IIIII/ 4 WIIIII/IIIIIIIZ IIYIYIIIYI/IIJIIIIIJIZ0%2/17/0 A Aug. 7, 1923. 1,464.306

A. E. AUGUSTINE FEELER AND COUNTER MECHANISM FOR ENVELOPE MAKE-86 MACHINES Fil N V- 18 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 8 wuc nloz Patented Aug. 7, 1923.

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ADDISON E. AUGUSTINE, OF HACKENfSACK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO CHESTER MACHINE CO. INC, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FEELER AND COUNTER MECHANISM FOR ENVELOPE-MAKING MACHINES.

Application filed November 18, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AnnrsoN E. Acous- TINE, residing at Hackensack, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeler and Counter Mechanism for Envelope-Making Machines, of which the fOllOWillg is a specification.

This invention relates to a feeler and counter mechanism for envelope-making machines, and the object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of this type which will be simple in construction and efficient and durable in operation.

A further object is to so construct the parts that they may be readily assembled and disassembled and may be readily reached for the making of necessary adjustment, etc.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific than those referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principles, constituting the invention: and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and in which I have shown merely a preferred form of embodiment of the invention:--

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of an envelope-making machine embodying a feeler and counter mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane of line II of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially upon the plane of line III of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3 but being taken substantially at right angles to the View Fig. 3, as suggested by the line IV in Fig. 1, a portion only of the structure being shown in section upon the plane of the line IV.

Figures 5 and 6 are fragmentary detail views for illustrating the manner of adjusting the kicker pin upon the counter wheel, Fig. 6 being a sectional view taken substantially upon the line VI of Fig. 5.

Figures 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views Serial No. 338,816.

following the outlines of Fig. 2 but illustrating different positions of the parts appearing in Fig. 2 in accordance with the operation of the device.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view following the outlines of Fig. 1 but illustrating the difierent positions of the parts appearing in Fig. 1 in accordance with the operation of the device.

Figure 10 is a detail view of the kicker lever employed, and

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of stacking and counting the envelopes.

Referring to the drawings for describing in detail the structure which is illustrated therein, the reference character L indicates a horizontal table at the opposite sides of which rise vertical wall members 1 and 2 so I as to constitute a chute or guide-way along which the finished envelopes are fed from the drying chain (not illustrated) of the machine, as will be readily understood by those familiar with this class of machines. The envelope is picked out of the drying chain by a picker device. as 3, and is swung around by the picker device into position in front of and upon a pusher plate 4. as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2 and as shown at 5 in the diagrammatic view Fig. 7. The pusher plate then moves forward and carries the envelope into position within the chute formed by the table L and the walls 1 and 2, as seen in the diagrammatic view Fig. 8. The pusher plate then moves backwardly and receives another envelope which it at once delivers into the chute. the operation being repeated continuously thruout the running of the machine and the envelopes being stacked one against the other within the chute, each new envelope acting to push back the stack along the chute.

In order to facilitate the further handling and packing of the envelopes they must be counted off in uniform numbers so that packmay be readily formed of them each package containing the same number of envelopes. By means of the device forming the present invention, the counting of the envelopes is accomplished automatically by causing certain of the envelopes in the stack to be projected out of line with the others, as seen at 6 in the diagrammatic view Fig. 11. In the structure illustrated every twenty-fourth envelope is thus projceted,

ice

tho, of course, it will be understood that the number of envelopes occurring between the successive projected envelopes may be readily altered in accordance with the requirements.

In order to effect the counting operating the invention herein includes two essential elements, first, a feeler lever, as G, and second a projector plate, as H. The feeler lever is arranged to be engaged by the envelope as the envelope is being laid upon the pusher plate by the picker device 3 so as to control the operation of the projector plate. As will be seen hereinafter the mechanical elements of the machine may freely operate any number of times without effecting movement of the projector plate provided no envelopes are brought into engagement with the feeler lever and that consequently it will only be when the necessary twentyfourth envelope is moved against the feeler lever that the projector plate will operate.

The pusher plate 4 is carried by an arm 7 which is mounted to swing upon a stationary shaft 8 and which has an extending portion 9 connected by a link 10 with a rocker member 11 carrying'a roller 12 in the path of a cam 13. The cam 13 is mounted upon a rotatable shaft 14, and the movements of the cam, supplemented by the action of a spring A connected with the extension 9, cause swinging movement of the pusher plate between its two positions; that is, between its rearward or receiving position and its forward or delivering position. The extension 9 may, if desired, be provided with a slot 15 longitudinally therein to be engaged by the pivot bolt 16 of the link 10 sothat the point of connection of the link with the extension 9 may be adjusted at will for altering the precise extremes to which the pusher plate is moved by the cam.

The feeler lever G is pivotally mounted, as at 17, in a stationary bearing member 18 mounted rigidly upon the shaft 8. It is provided with a feeler head 19, which, when the pusher plate is in its rearward position, normally occupies a position just forward of the front surface of the pusher plate. A light spring, as 20, or other appropriate device, may be provided for retaining the feeler head in this position and at the same time permitting of the head being very easily moved backwardly as when engaged by an envelope being moved toward the surface of the pusher plate by the picker 3. The pusher plate preferably has an aperture 21 formed therethru thru which the feeler head can readily move.

The lower or pivot end of the feeler lever is extended forwardly to provide a stop element 22 normally in the path of movement of an arm 23 which is carried by a rocker 24. The stop 22 is ap ropriately reinforced by adjacent portions 25 of the bearing member 18 so as to be fully capable of properly arresting movement of the arm 23 whenever occasion requires.

Whenever an envelope is pressed against the feeler head 19 and the lever is thereby moved backwardly, then the stop 22 is at the same time swung upwardly out of the path of the arm 23.

The rocker 24 is provided with a second arm 26. A link 27 extends from the arm 26 into engagement with one arm 28 of a bell-crank lever, the opposite arm 29 of which carries a roller 30 in the path of a cam 31. A tension spring 32 holds the roller 30 normally against the surface of the cam. The cam is preferably mounted upon and rotatable with the shaft 14 and the rotation thereof produces back and forth movement of the rocker in accordance with the contour of the cam.

Preferably the same pivot pin, as 33, which connects the link 27 with the arm 26 serves also to carry a pawl 34 which is arranged to engage the teeth of the counter wheel 35. The wheel 35 is rotatably mounted upon a bearing pin 36 and it is provided with a suitable number of teeth, as 37, upon its periphery, the number of teeth being in accordance with the desired number of envelopes to occur between each of the projected envelopes.

Preferably the bearing pin 36 constitutes also the bearing pin upon which the rocker 24 is mounted. For this purpose the pin is constructed so that it may be removably mounted in the main frame work 38 of the machine, its intermediate portion, as 39, being connected with the frame work, its upper end portion, as 40, constituting the bearing for the counter wheel, and its lower end portion, as 41, constituting the bearing for the rocker 24. The three different portions may be of three different diameters, as best seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings, so as properly to define them and to enable the easy and correct assembly of the pin with the main frame 38. A set screw 42 may be provided for engaging between the frame 38 and the intermediate portion of the pin for removably retaining the pin in operative position. The opposite end portions of the pin may be provided with removable screws 43 and 44 for removably retaining the counter wheel and the rocker respectively. By this arrangement both the pin and the parts connected thereto may be readily removed and replaced when worn.

A suitable spring or other appropriate device, as 45, may be provided for urging the pawl 34 into engagement with the teeth 37.

It will be readily seen that unless an envelope be in position pressing the feeler lever back at the time when the spring 32 seeks to move the pawl backwardly, then the arm 23 will engage the stop and prevent such backward movement of the pawl as would enable the pawl to engage the next succeeding tooth on the counter Wheel. The succeeding teeth upon the counter wheel then will only be engaged by the pawl at such times as succeeding envelopes are moved into engagement with the feeler. Hence the counter wheel will only be moved one tooth with each envelope actually introduced against the feeler.

Carried by the counter wheel is a kicker pin 46 which is adapted for engaging the kicker lever 47. The kicker lever is pivotally connected upon the main frame, as at 48, and it is connected by a link 4-9 with a lever 50 which carries the projector plate H. The lever .50 is pivotally connected by one of its ends to the main frame, as at 51, and carries the projector plate upon a standard 52 projecting upwardly at its free end. The link 49 is connected with the lever 50 intermediate the length of said lever so that ample movement of the projector plate will be produced by only relatively slight movement of the kicker lever.

The kicker lever preferably extends beneath the counter wheel andis provided with a finger '53 arranged in the path of travel of the kicker pin 46. The face, as 54, of the finger 53 which is engaged the kicker pin is arranged at an incline to the path of travel of the kicker pin so that it constitutes a cam adapted for forcing the kicker lever outwardly away from the center of the counter wheel, as seen in the diagrammatic view Fig. 9.

The finger 53 is of such size that it will be struck by the kicker pin and passed within the space of one tooth of the counter wheel so that thus the movement of the counter wheel for this tooth will produce both a projecting and receding movement of the projector plate H.

The projector plate H normally occupies a position as a continuation of the side wall 2 of the chute and, of course, the operation of the entire mechanism is so timed that the projecting and receding movement of the projector plate will occur while the envelope is in a suitable position to be en gaged by the projector plate.

A suitable tension spring, as 55, is provided for normally urging the kicker lever, and with it the projector plate, into its normal position with the kicker lever resting against a suitable stop element 56.

In order to provide for necessary adjust ment of the kicker pin 46 upon the counter wheel, this pin is preferably formed at the lower end of a screw 57 which is movably mounted in a slot 58 provided in the counter wheel. The head part, as 59, of the screw is of such size as to engage the upper surface portion of the counter wheel adjacent to the slot, while the threaded portion of the screw-engages a nut member 601atthe under side of the wheel. The screw may be moved freely along the slot and then tightened in any position of adjustment desired. Preferably the nut member 60 is formed with shoulders '61 thereon for engaging a sleeve portion 62 of the counter wheel for preventing rotation of the nut member.

The table L may have its rear edge portion, as 63,, curved downwardly so as to conform to the movement of the pusher plate, and this portion of the table may be provided with a slot 64 therein to accommodate movement of the pusher plate arm 7. In this way a suitable support is furnished for the lower edge portion of the envelopes to rest upon immediately they are deposited upon the surface of the pusher plate.

The side wall members 1 and 2 of the chute are preferably adjustably mounted so that they may be moved toward or away from each other in order to better accommodate envelopes of different lengths. For this purpose the wall members may be carried upon horizontal rods 65 which are adjustably mounted within bearings 66 carried by supporting plates 67.

For the same reason the projector plate is also 'adjustably mounted in the standard 52, it being fitted with horizontal rods 68 which adjustably engage within bearing members 69 formed within the standard 52. I

It is to be noted that none of the mechanism described is mounted upon the table L, altho a considerable part thereof is directly beneath said table. The: table is connected with the main frame work 38 of the machine preferably by the use of screws or the like, as 70, the removal of which will permit the table to be lifted entirely away leaving the mechanism thereunder entirely exposed and easy of access. The screws 70 are directly in the face of the plate so that they may themselves be very easily taken out whenever occasion arises for the making of repairs or adjustments to the mechanism beneath the table.

From the above description it will be evident that at each rotation of the shaft 14: the pusher plate will be moved forward to deliver an envelope into the chute, and that the pawl 34 will endeavor to move backwardly for engaging a succeeding tooth of the counter wheel, and that each time the pawl engages and pushes forward the twenty-fourth tooth of the counter wheel the projector plate will be projected.

It will also be evident, however, that while the pusher plate will be caused to move forward with each and every rotation of the shaft 14, yet the pawl 34 will not succeed in moving back to engage a succeeding tooth of the counter wheel with any movement of the pusher plate which is not actually accompanied by an envelope.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

The counter wheel 85 may be held against any movement except such as is positively imparted thereto by the pawl 34 by means of a friction washer 71 which may be held in engagement with the upper surface of the counter wheel by means of the screw 43. This washer may be a spring washer or it may be of some friction material such as fiber, felt, or the like.

It is to be particularly noted that by the mechanism herein disclosed the function of the feeler and counter is performed directly by the envelope being counted and at a time when this envelope is going thru the very last movement performed upon it by the machine; namely, that of being placed upon the pusher for being pushed into the delivery chute. This is of prime importance since there is practically no possible opportunity for the envelope to become destroyed after being counted and before being stacked in the chute.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a mechanism of the class described, means for receiving succeeding envelopes and for moving the envelopes from one position to another, a feeler arranged to be operated by each envelope received, a counter wheel, a rocker, .means to oscillate the rocker for rotating the counter wheel step by step, a counter operated by the counter wheel, and means whereby the oscillation of the rocker is controlled by the feeler.

2. In a mechanism of the class described, means for receiving succeeding envelopes and for moving the envelopes from one position to another, a feeler arranged to be operated by each envelope received, a counter wheel, a rocker, means to oscillate the rocker for rotating the counter wheel step by step, a kicker pin carried by the counter wheel, a counter arranged to be operated by a one step movement of the counter wheel, and means whereby the oscillation of the rocker is controlled by the feeler.

3. In a. device of the class described, a main frame, a table carried by the main frame, envelope receiving means operable for delivering envelopes upon the table, counter mechanism for counting the envelopes delivered, a portion of said counter mechanism being positioned beneath the table and being mounted independently of the table, and means whereby the table is bodily removable from said main frame for exposing the counter mechanism therebeneath.

4. A feeler and counter mechanism for envelope-making machines comprising a counter wheel, means to rotate said wheel step by step, a kicker pin carried by the counter wheel, a counter arranged to be engaged by the kicker pin to be operated by a one step movement of the counter wheel, for thereby operating the counter by rotation of the counter-wheel and 'means controllable by the operator for adjusting the counter relatively to the counter wheel, in order to advance or retard the action of the counter relatively to the movement of said kicker pin.

5. A feeler and counter mechanism for en velope-making machines comprising a rocker, means to oscillate the rocker, a counter connected to be operated by said rocker, a movable feeler arranged to be moved by the envelopes received to be counted, and said feeler having a portion constituting a stop for preventing oscillation of said rocker eX cept when an envelope is in position to be counted.

6. A feeler and counter mechanism for envelope-making machines comprising a rocker, means to oscillate the rocker, a toothed counter wheel, a pawl carried by the rocker engaging the teeth of the counter wheel to rotate the counter wheel one step with each oscillation of the rocker, a movable feeler arranged to be moved by the envelopes received to be counted, a counter connected to be operated by the counter wheel, and means whereby the oscillation of the rocker is controlled by said feeler.

7. In a feeler and counter mechanism for envelope-making machines, a counter wheel, means to rotate said wheel, a kicker pin carried by the counter wheel, a counter arranged to be operated by the kicker pin, the

counter wheel having a slot formed therethru, a screw extending thru said slot having a head portion engaging the adjacent upper surface portion of the counter wheel, a nut member at the under surface of the counter wheel into which the screw is threaded whereby to permit adjustment of the screw along the slot, the kicker pin being carried by said screw to be moved therewith, and said nut member having shoulder portions arranged for engaging portions of the counter wheel to prevent rotation of the nut member.

8. In an envelope-making machine, the combination with a chute into which the finished envelopes may be stacked and a pusheradapted to receive the finished envelopes and to push the finished envelopes into said chute, of a counter for said envelopes, and means for controlling said counter arranged to be engaged by the envelopes as the envelopes are received by said pusher.

9. In an envelope-making machine the combination with a chute into Which the finished envelopes may be stacked and a pusher adapted to receive the finished envelopes and to push the finished envelopes into said chute of a counter for said envelopes, a feeler disposed adjacent said pusher to be engaged by the envelopes as the envelopes are received by said pusher, and means whereby the feeler Will control the opera- 1 tions of the counter.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ADDISON E. AUGUSTINE. Witnesses:

L. GESSFORD HANDEL, MAY SoHULz. 

